#most advanced robot 2023

[ytmarketing001]

Japan just delivered fully performing female robots are the latest marvels. In this video, we'll be uncovering the revolutionary advancements in robotics straight from Japan. 👉 Subscribe to my channel to stay tuned:    / @aievolves  

[reallytoosublime]

Japan just delivered fully performing female robots are the latest marvels. In this video, we'll be uncovering the revolutionary advancements in robotics straight from Japan. 👉 Subscribe to my channel to stay tuned:    / @aievolves  

[astroboyart]

The Pluto anime is here!

At 4 PM Japan Standard Time, October 26, 2023, a brand new Astro Boy series debuted! The anime adaptation of the Pluto manga authored by Naoki Urasawa! All 8 episodes have been released at one time, so watch it at your own leisure! Each episode is about 1 hour, each covering 1 volume from the manga.

Enjoy this experience everyone!

You can watch Pluto on Netflix:

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss Is Betting Big on Maybe Happy Ending, the Musical You're About to Fall in Love With

Darren Criss on the Timelessness of MAYBE HAPPY ENDING

Darren Criss has danced up the corporate ladder as J. Pierrepont Finch, stripped down to his skivvies as a queer East German rock star and tackled the “profane poetry” of David Mamet. And still, he says, there’s one thing he hasn’t done: “I haven’t taken any risks on Broadway.”

That ends this season with Maybe Happy Ending, a new musical on a mission to draw audiences to the Belasco Theatre without the benefit of a recognizable title, popular source material or songs that have already spent time on the Billboard Hot 100. “It's a really, really hard market right now to be making art,” Criss says to Broadway.com Editor-in-Chief Paul Wontorek, chatting at So & So's Neighborhood Piano Bar. And commercial Broadway theater? It’s “tedious, expensive and a gamble.” So naturally, Criss is going double or nothing as both star and producer of Broadway’s next thrilling crap shoot.

Maybe Happy Ending takes the trappings of a classic love story and inserts futuristic robots with outdated software. Criss plays Oliver opposite Helen J Shen’s Claire—a pair of Helper-Bots who, on a quest to contact their former owner, evoke a kind of Millennial-Gen Z mismatch. But rather than getting swept away by love, the two retired machines take the concept itself and try to break it down to its zeros and ones. As Criss explains, “[It’s] two computers trying to computationally synthesize and process what love is and why human beings do this.”

The musical was a hit when it debuted in Seoul, South Korea nearly a decade ago, and now, writers Will Aronson and Hue Park have a crafted an English-language version that Criss thinks has the potential to ascend to the proverbial Heaviside Layer of musical theater. “This is the seminal version that I hope can last in perpetuity for the ages,” he says, adding confidently, “I do feel like this is a timeless piece.”

Original musicals have the most challenging road on Broadway. But when you look to grassroots successes like Urinetown, or Dear Evan Hansen, or even The Prom—which ran in New York for less than a year but inspired a starry film and a slate of regional and international productions—you see how quickly an unknown quantity can become canon. “People are always like, ‘There’s no one creating original things,’” Criss says. “They are. It’s just really, really hard to produce them because you really have to believe in something hard enough to be OK with the risk.”

The fact that Maybe Happy Ending has earned that belief from some of the theater’s heaviest hitters is telling. Director Michael Arden, hot off a 2023 Tony Award for his revival of Parade, chose the piece as his next musical. And producers Jeffrey Richards and Hunter Arnold, with nearly 20 Tony Awards between them, have given Arden free rein to make a capital “B” Broadway meal of it.

The show’s cast is deceptively modest (Marcus Choi and Dez Duron complete the four-hander), but there’s nothing minimalist about Arden’s vision for Maybe Happy Ending or the high-tech space he’s worked out with set designer Dane Laffrey. In short, “They don’t f**k around,” says Criss. “This show is very technologically advanced. I think it's kind of the ace in the hole that people aren't expecting.” He tosses out comparisons to Miss Saigon’s descending helicopter and The Phantom of the Opera’s haunted chandelier—emblems of the bygone ‘80s megamusical. In an era of subtlety and economy (think recent Tony winners Kimberly Akimbo or The Band’s Visit), this, Criss promises, is “a big-a** mother**king spectacle.”

It's another bold, all-in move from the Maybe Happy Ending team, but Criss is determined to hedge no bets this time around. He looks back at his Broadway resume: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (“Glee was white-hot and I was going in for three weeks after Daniel Radcliffe”); Hedwig and the Angry Inch (“People love that show. With or without me, it would be just fine”); American Buffalo (“A beloved and respected American play”).

“They're all classics to some degree,” he concludes. “This is not that.” Of course, understanding what Maybe Happy Ending is not is less of an issue than getting audiences to understand what it is. Right now, Criss says, there are rumblings around town that it’s “the cute little robot show.” The thought puts a mischievous grin on his face: “You have no idea.”

[lilac-rose-writes]

Kindergarten Fanfics Masterpost

Character Study Series:

The Before And The After- Ozzy (21/11/2021) Tuesday- Carla (26/11/2021) Good Boy- Stevie (05/12/2021) Enough- Ted (13/12/2021) Pretty Girls- Cindy (15/12/2021) Experiences, Crushes and Science Lessons- Jerome (17/12/2021) Revolting Children- Ms Applegate (23/12/2021) Letters- Madison (01/01/2022) Wilted- Lily (05/01/2022) Advancements- Male Principal (26/01/2022) The Sole Heir To Applesoft- Felix (15/02/2022) Oddball- Margaret (26/02/2022) Smart- Monty (09/04/2022) Green- Bob (16/05/2022) Lost- Alice (23/07/2022) Sleep- Billy (22/08/2022) Death- Kid (25/08/2022) Monsters, Sleepovers and Love Letters- Nugget (02/09/2022)

Miscellaneous One-Shots and AUs

Love Me- Yandere Kid AU (27/03/2022) In The Dark- Reverse AU (07/06/2022) Hogwarts School of Magic and Mysteries- Harry Potter AU (12/06/2022) Penny Is Definitely a Robot- Pre Canon (29/08/2022) What Not To Do When You Meet a New Superhero- Spider-Man AU (22/12/2022) Poor, Unfortunate Souls- Kid-centric Study (10/03/2023) What It Takes To Survive- K1 Bad End (26/03/2023) Camp Principal- Camp Camp AU (28/03/2023) The Final Duet- OMORI AU Prequel (03/06/2023) Don't Blend Billy- Blended Billy (23/07/2023) The Owl House but Kindergarten- Owl House AU (24/07/2023) shard of light- Secret Santa Gift (30/12/2024) Loneliness- Lily-centric Study (06/03/2025) Hunger- Cindy-centric Study (04/05/2025)

Huxleypocalypse

Huxleypocalypse One-Shot Collection (21/07/2024) Asked For This (25/07/2024) Not So Different (27/07/2024) Ruin (13/02/2025) April (01/04/2025)

Restaurant Saga

Penny and Carla go to IHOP at 3:47AM (20/11/2022) Kid Goes to Taco Bell At a Reasonable Hour of the Day (18/12/2022)

Pearla-Centric One-Shots

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (24/12/2021) Smile (28/08/2022) Purple Heathers (28/11/2022)

Whumptobers

Whumptober 2022 (01/10/2022) Kindergarten Whumpuary (it's complicated)

Ghost Felix AU

Alone (02/07/2022) Absolutely Fine (05/11/2022)

Hi! I'm Lilac, and my AO3 account can be found here as Lilac_The_Book_Lover. I've been writing for the Kindergarten fandom for a few years now, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. <3

My profile picture & header were made by the INCREDIBLE @rainrayne!! They're such a wonderfully talented artist and a lovely mutual to have; I urge you to check out their account if you haven't already! :D

[I also run the Kindergarten 3 confession blog at @kg3-confessions!]

[sickness-health-all-that-shit]

thank you @callivich for sharing the idea of making fic dvd commentaries! I thought I'd give it a go 🥰 @shamelessdvdcommentary

Broken things

summary: When Lip brings home an advanced android in order to test it for the company he works for, Ian doesn't know what to make of him. MIK-940810, or Mickey, seems virtually indistinguishable from a human being, throwing Ian for a loop as he feels an undeniable connection to the android. Their relationship deepens when Ian finds out about something that Mickey has been keeping from Lip and the people who built him.

There’s a faint blue light shining from the place where Lip’s thumb rests for about two seconds. Ian’s expecting some kind of whirring noise, like when you turn a computer on, but there’s just silence.

And then suddenly the blue eyes come alive.

some stats: I started writing this about a year ago, as part of the latest shameless big bang and finished it around january this year. it's a multichapter of about 28k words divided into 8 chapters

What was the initial inspiration for your story?

probably something I was watching at the time. I love sci-fi! I think I would've had the initial idea in the spring of 2023 and then let it marinate for a while, until the big bang came a-knocking lol. I'm pretty sure it was always gonna be android!Mickey and human Ian, and when I remembered Lip's canon interest in robotics it all started slotting into place for me

If the story is written from a character’s POV, why did you choose this character?

like I said it was always gonna be android!Mickey and I really wanted to explore Ian trying to figure out what made him tick and questioning what makes us human in the first place

What was your favourite scene to write?

probably their initial conversation when Ian asks all sorts of questions that make his brain explode more and more, while Mickey sort of watches him spiral and just seems to have an obvious answer for everything lol. that and the scene where Mickey heavily flirts with an increasingly flustered Ian, that was a lot of fun

How did you come up with the title?

one of the main themes of the fic is the coming together of these two individuals who meet at a time when they both needed it because they were feeling broken, for different reasons. there's a parallel especially between Ian's relationship with his bipolar disorder and Mickey's feeling that he's malfuctioning as an android and that he'll be seen as a broken toy. in both cases it's because of heightened emotions compared to what's considered 'normal', but they heal each other throughout the fic and overcome that sense of brokenness together

Are there any little moments or references you hope readers will notice?

hopefully all the little references and parallels to canon! (things like Mickey's serial number for instance) I had a lot of fun with those, it was like winking at my fellow fans like 'get it? it's like in the show!' lol

Was there anything you struggled to write? If so, how did you overcome this?

I struggled a bit with the resolution of the main conflict/angst, especially explaining how Lip suddenly decides to help them in the end, after being a dick for most of the story lmao. hopefully it doesn't feel that sudden or rushed, but yeah. I still think about it at times lol

Favourite line in the story?

“Well, ask away, doc. You studyin’ human anatomy all day, right? Bet you’re curious as fuck to know all the ways they replicated that shit in this hot little android body o’ mine.” - like I said, I really enjoyed Mickey shamelessly flirting xD

Did the storyline change in any way as you wrote the story?

I just checked my original (handwritten) outline, and I think I had meant to make Ian catch on more to the fact that Mickey is a different type of android, even with Lip's reassurances, but I think in that version he ended up being suspicious in a way that didn't gel with his blossoming feelings for Mickey, and maybe as a result I made Ian a little bit more unsure of himself, which goes back to him feeling broken because he feels like he can't trust his brain too much. also when I was still gathering my ideas for the story I initially thought Mickey might turn out to have memories of a human Mickey Milkovich who had died, but I scrapped that because I wanted this Mickey to be the real Mickey, android or no

If you are writing a particular trope or genre, was it your first time writing this?

I'd definitely never written sci-fi or an android fic before! I might delve more into science fiction in the future though, who knows 😌

What are you most proud about in the story? (plot, characterisation, dialogue, twist/cliffhanger, etc)

overall plot and dialogue, probably. I'm really proud of how I developed my original idea, and some of the lines still make me laugh (or cry)

Are there any deleted scenes that didn’t make it to the final story?

going back to my original outline, I apparently had a whole chapter that never came to be? here's what I'd written down: "Lip's boss shows up at the house. Mickey needs to pretend to be a regular android despite his anger. Ian defends Mickey. The police gets called. They have to make a run for it." maybe this would have helped the resolution feel less rushed/anti-climactic but it also seemed to complicate things a bit too much for my taste, so it got scrapped

Would you ever write a sequel to this story?

I think the epilogue leaves things in a good enough place!

Were you nervous or excited to post this story?

both!! but more excited overall, I think. it's probably my favourite story I've written

Ask your followers to pick a snippet (no more than 500 words) and share your thoughts about it.

please!!!! I will love you forever <3

this was great, I highly recommend it to all writers 🥰

[inkspecter]

A 2023 Guide to Scientifically Advanced Clown Husbandry Techniques

I’ve started asking robots their opinions on clown husbandry so please enjoy and be sure to reblog with any corrections you have! [Photo also made by robots]

Clown husbandry can be an enjoyable and rewarding activity, but it does require careful management and advanced techniques if you wish to get the most out of your clowns. Here in this guide, we'll discuss some of the scientifically advanced techniques that will help ensure your clowns stay healthy and thrive.

Consider the Clown’s Dietary Needs

Have you ever wondered what keeps clowns so cheerful and energetic? The answer lies in their diet. These jolly performers have a sweet tooth - but not just for any ordinary candy. Oh no, they crave something much more delicious and messy: pies! Whether it's apple, cherry, or even the classic cream flavor, clowns can't resist a good pie to chow down on. And who can blame them? With each bite, they're transported to a world of sugary bliss and childlike wonder. So next time you see a clown with a suspiciously full belly, just know that they indulged in their favorite treat - and it's all part of the job.

Setting up a Safe Clown Habitat

Do you know what's scarier than clowns? Clowns without a safe habitat! It's time to set up a sanctuary for these playful performers. But we can't just put them in any old space - we need a special place that's clown-proof. And what's a clown-proof space? A big top, of course! Not only will it protect them from the elements, but it will also provide them with plenty of space to practice their juggling, balloon animals, and other tricks of the trade. So let's get to work, folks, and make sure our clown friends have a safe and happy home.

Training Your Clowns to Perform Amazing Tricks

When it comes to training your clowns, it's not all fun and games (well, okay, it is mostly fun and games). But trust me, it's worth the effort when you see them perform jaw-dropping tricks that will make your audience laugh, gasp, and maybe even wet their pants a little. And let's face it, a good clown act can make or break a party. So grab your big red nose and get to work, my friend. It's time to unleash your inner circus ringleader and show those clowns who's boss!

Improving Clown Hygiene

At the end of the day, clown hygiene is no laughing matter. From cleaning the wigs to keeping costumes bright, you'll need to take a few extra steps to ensure that your clowns stay clean and presentable for their beloved audience. After all, nobody wants to hug a smelly clown! Unless they're a tramp clown. They sometimes like to be a bit odiferous. So stock up on plenty of soap, water, and a good supply of clown wipes to keep your clowns clean and healthy. You'll thank yourself later!

Avoiding Dangerous Pranks and Practical Jokes

We all love a good laugh, but let's admit it - sometimes, we take it too far. Nobody wants to be the culprit of a prank gone wrong, especially when it puts someone in danger. We're all for being the life of the party, but let's not make it a matter of life and death. Stick with the classics, like whoopee cushions and fake vomit, and avoid anything involving explosives or sharp objects. So let's keep it safe, folks, and remember - friendship is magic, but a hospital bill is not.

The world of clowns is full of laughter, joviality, and entertainment. If you want to join in the fun, be sure to keep your clown’s dietary needs in mind; pies and sweets are always greatly appreciated by our big-nosed friends! Furthermore, you’ll need a large tent or big top to house your clowns – trust us, they don’t fit inside small bungalows! Gather the best props and tricks for clown performances beforehand; it may take some practice and patience from both the clowns and their trainers but it’s worth it for a show that will produce life-long memories. Hygiene should also be kept in check: ensure your clowns are clean and bright to make them sparkle just as much as their sequined outfits. While practical jokes might seem like a good idea at first, always remember that no one likes an unhappy clown – so choose only harmless fun when pulling pranks!

[kekreker]

Say hello to Nina

Finally, I turned my idea into art!

She's been here since July 2023.

The girl is a time traveler from 2310. A girl with abilities was born.. and as soon as she was physically able to speak, she told everything. Nina was afraid that scientists would take her and use her all her life, but the mentality of the country was different, she continued to live like everyone else, calmly. this country is the best.

Her imagination is her weapon, And a snap of her fingers is a wish come true. For something to work out, she first needs to imagine it. She loves physical activity very much, hiding it from his parents, and doing strange workouts.

She has two robots as friends (maybe later) - Feruza and Vin.

Her abilities:

The first is to create a material that can cut through any other. Its name is mlakwe or mlan. it is white with blue and pink small specks, similar to a 4-leaf clover. Only Nina can create and remove it.

2. Materialize objects. The main thing here is to imagine them in your mind. Maybe it's like this: Nina wants a screwdriver with a green case, a click - and here it is! Then he wants another screwdriver with the same characteristics, but it turns out to be different. You can describe the characteristics in detail, but the items should be useful, not beautiful.

This is more relevant to point 2. It can create rectangular blue plaques with complete information about a person. Her friend Feruza collects the information herself.

3. She kept the last ability a secret from the people of her time. Create a different look. But it has to be a non-existent person, she can only try to copy him.. Only a female image can be created. To get closer to what once existed, you need to write a list, or think over all the parameters in your mind. She considers it the most useless ability.

History:

She arrived in the past to imprison the most terrible villains, before freeing them and keeping them in a secret hiding place while the turmoil begins. She does this because she wants to make amends for her actions that she committed in the future... but this is only according to her words.. She will go to the main court with a statement, of course, changing her appearance and forging documents, and then she will offer her mlakve cells, hidden under metal in advance, as a place of detention. Then, returning to her own time, she will tell about her time travel and show evidence that she did it (since this event happened in the past, it has already gone down in history, even if it was changed).

The rest later...

For her, the 21st century is the peak of degradation, so she doesn't hide it with abductees. He gives an example to people from the 21st century, people from the beginning of the 2nd half of the 20th century, wondering how it is possible to regress in such a time. She thinks villains are idiots, and the avl is a ridiculous crumbling office that does not know how to do anything. In her 24th century, she behaves normally and politely but In the 21 she is rude, but only with those who are rude to her. She especially likes to discuss abductees in the company of her friends, where it escalates into a debate about who will give more reasons for ridicule.

A little more about her:

She uses a translator that instantly translates her entire speech and makes others understand. Likes: milk and milk drinks, tea, sports, friends, self-development.

She uses unlimited access to any knowledge as a tutorial, because of them she learned to do a little chemistry.

Knows a little about medicine

She does not understand and does not like gesturing, everything can be shown in tone. It's the same with random movements. He calls them convulsions.

Nina should be the antagonist. And she must also be defeated.. Now we need to bring the plot to this point.

I hope the translator translated everything correctly.

Oh my god, why does the full description make her look like Mary Sue 😭😭😭

[hrodvitnon]

Don’t want to bother you with Godzilla stuff since you’re burnt out but did want to do one final (for now) “how would X kaiju fit into the Abraxasverse” thing. So here goes nothing:

Jet Jaguar: after APEX Cybernetics escapades in Hong Kong, many of their assets and technology was seized by Monarch. Amongst these assets were early designs for a humanoid robot. Engineer Goro Ibuki took particular interest in this design and, behind his employers back, began construction on a mechanical automaton designed to communicate with and care for Titans. He unveiled the project to Monarch’s directors in late 2023, alongside an advanced operating system known as PELOPS. Despite facing initial pushback from some members, Madison Russell in particular was enthusiastic about the project and vouched for him.

As the prototype was constructed, it would sent on a test run to the Hollow Earth. Intending for the robot to meet up with and attempt to communicate with Kong, it would be sidetracked turning its travel by an attack by Shimidah, knocking it into a repository of mysterious energy. While no serious damage would be sustained, Ibuki and his staff began to notice strange actions by JJ during subsequent trials. But they had not the slightest idea of just what was occurring.

They would soon find out. When the sub-terrain Titan Megalon was summoned to the service by a cultist, Jet Jaguar would unexpectedly take off from the facility in which it was stored. Despite attempts by Ibuki and his crew to recall the Mecha, they were unable to do so. Arriving in the Philippines to combat Megalon, JJ would put up a valiant fight, seemingly having a mind of its own. While it was unable to defeat the beetle-like monster by itself, it displayed another new ability, shifting in size. The timely arrival of Godzilla would soon lead to Megalon’s hasty retreat and Jet Jaguar would return to Monarch, completely of its own volition. Research by Ibuki and other scientists soon discovered the Hollow Earth energy had affected both the PELOPS system and JJ’s nanotechnology. A heated debate would occur amongst staff over the mecha could possibly now be sentient, particularly with its origins as a purely mechanical creation, unlike the mixture of biology and technology seen in Kiryu and Mechagodzilla.

The debate would soon be put to rest when Abraxas interacted with the mecha, which would eventually result in the mecha speaking directly to the staff as well as the Titans. For the first time a fully sentient artificial intelligence had been created, albeit accidentally. Those in Monarch are now grappling with this reality, while Jet Jaguar has began interacting with Titans on its own terms, particularly Abraxas, Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra, learning who it is and where it belongs in this new era of Gods and Monsters.

Zilla: unlike most Titans, Zilla is well and truly of the modern age. An ancient species of marine megafauna somewhat resembling iguanas, they would be exposed to large amounts of waste from French nuclear testing, mutating them from simple megafauna to titans. The initial progenitor of this new evolution would meet its end at the hands of G-Team after it attempted to nest in Sydney Harbour and attacked ships entering the port. One of its offspring would survive and emerge a few years later. With early sightings mistakingly identifying the young Titan as Godzilla, its emergence in New York City would see it recognized as a member of the same species as the Sydney creature. In homage to the initial reports misidentifying the beats as Godzilla, which had sent Monarch into a temporary panic, Rick Stanton would suggest the new Titan be classified as “Zilla”. Despite initial apprehension, the name would stay.

Headstrong and hotheaded, Zilla would soon encounter its namesake and attempt to battle the King of the Monsters. Despite being soundly defeated, Goji would sense much of himself in the young Titan and taking pity on him, offered to train him to be a better fighter. Zilla agreed and while he has made many attempts, he still has a hard time fitting in with the other Titans. Despite this, many of the younger titans have taken a liking to him and attempt to break his solemn exterior so that he may join them. Ladon in particular has taken to doing what he can to make Zilla soften up and become his friend. His father, despite the initial bad foot him and Zilla got off on, approves.

Amongst Monarch’s staff, Doctor Niko Tatopoulos has taken an interest in him and cares for him at the Monarch outpost near his home in Melbourne. Madison Russell also enjoys visiting the young titan, treating him almost like a pet. She particularly enjoys feeding him exotic fish as a treat. “He’s like a very large cat sometimes”.

King Caesar: Some titans are defenders of humanity. Some are protectors of specific sites or areas. King Caesar is both. When the Kingdom of Mu was first attacked by the spiteful Megalon, many of its residents fled in order to avoid the threat. Amongst those who attempted to escape was the islands High Priest, who eventually gave his life doing what he could to distract Megalon. Those who had fled would soon set up shop in Okinawa, where they began to build a new society. The priest would be revered and honored with a statue of a Shisa.

All would not stay peaceful for long those, as after a few years Megalon would find those who had fled the Kingdom he’d ravaged. During this attack, the Shisa statue miraculously began to animate and flight back against the massive monster. Driving Megalon back, he would chase him all the way to Mu, where he would force the bastard beetle to abandon the area he had called home for the last several years. Soon after, he would return to Okinawa and rest. Both Okinawa and Mu were now safe and able to rebuild.

Over the centuries, the statue would awaken multiple times to defend Okinawa from various titans which posed a threat. Many began to believe the spirit of the high priest which had gave his life so many years ago had someone been reincarnated into the strange entity. It soon gained a name, King Caesar, and took on a status as a sort of divine protector. Battling many threats throughout the ages, he would eventually be grievously wounded in a battle at Mount Aso and forced into slumber.

During the battle in Hong Kong, Monarch researchers observed a strange phenomenon occurring near Okinawa. It would soon be discovered that King Caesar had, after long last, finally been awakened. Unable to participate in the battle, he would soon be amongst those who challenged Abbadon’s attempted takeover of the ruined city. All was not well however, as the would he had sustained so many years ago still plagued him. After some thorough analysis, it was discovered that the wound could prove fatal if exasperated such as in battle, essentially forcing Caesar onto the sidelines.

All was not lost, as under advice from Mothra and Abraxas he has taken up the role of a teacher for several young titans, instructing them in the ways of fighting and in how to interact with humanity. Very rough around the edges and rather cranky, he nevertheless cares deeply about his allies and the little ones, seeing them as his responsibility perhaps more than any titan aside from the divine moth. Extremely spiritual, he is willing to join the fight should it be requested of him, even with the risk to his health. Should he perish in battle, he would be happy to have gone out defending those he cared for, though he’d never let you know it.

Megalon: Scheming, brutish, and unfortunately rather stupid, Megalon is best described as perhaps the Titan community’s biggest annoyance. Once worshipped as a god by an advanced civilization, his own childlike petulance resulted in the destruction of much of his followers and his home. Desiring a new abode, he would go on a crusade in which he attempted to conquer many places, seeking out civilizations which were similarly advanced as his had been. Despite initially conquering Mu, he would soon be driven from it by King Caesar and Manda, leading him to seek out alternatives. At every turn however, he would find himself encountering opposition, as he constantly attempted to encroach on the territory of other titans. Eventually he would be knocked out by Mothra, Anguirus, and Godzilla, slumbering for Millenia.

Sometime after the Many Crisis, Megalon would once again awaken and venture to the outside world again. After a chance encounter with Mandazawa and Rodan, he would lay low for a few years until being summoned by a cult descended from his old worshippers. Facing Jet Jaguar and Godzilla, he soon retreated and instead wandered aimlessly, eventually settling on Sollgel Island in an uneasy truce with Kumonga and Kamacuras.

Despite his aggressive and rather unpleasant personality, Megalon does have a softer side to him. After his brother disappeared eons ago, he has silently mourned him ever since. Upon the arrival of Gigan’s fleet to Earth, he would discover that his brother had long since been inducted into the abhorrent admirals ranks. Seeking to free his beloved sibling, he has secretly assisted the other Titans in driving back Gigan’s forces, choosing not to draw attention to himself due to his past transgressions.

Servum: The Servum are an odd bunch. Even by Titan standards they are unique, as they are plant-like organisms that are closely related to reptiles and have large wings. They can best be described as “Skullcrawlers that can fly”, being rather feral and chaotic. Incredibly difficult to reason with, Monarch’s mech division is often tasked with dealing with them. Oddly enough, they seem to have an affinity for Madison Russell. As to why this is the case is anyone guess, but ancient cave paintings to point to the Servum submitting to a large reptilian/plant titan with buds which resemble roses.

Salunga: One of the inspirations for the Oni of Japanese mythology, Salunga is amongst the nastiest of the Titans. Cruel and malevolent, he was amongst the few titans who killed simply for pleasure. He wreaked terror across Japan, devouring thousands and destroying many locales. This would eventually come to an end however, at the hands of King Caesar. The defender titan would battle Salunga fiercely near Mount Aso, eventually winning the battle after wounding him following an eruption. Despite this, Salunga was able to somewhat get the last laugh, as he managed to leave a deep wound in Caesar’s chest, forcing him to retreat and go into suspended animation.

Unlike many Titans, Monarch was entirely unwarranted of his whereabouts for many years. Since the Mass Awakening however, Salunga has set up shop in Mumbai, seemingly laying dormant beneath the city. With a Monarch outpost now constructed on the site, some staff members believe that the barbaric brute is not actually dormant, but is simply biding its time.

Ookondoru: a titan in name only, Ookondoru is a member of a species of condor like megafauna native to Leichi Island. Exposed to toxic waste, he would soon mutate and gain increased intelligence as well as becoming quite large. Despite this, he gained no abilities and is essentially just a giant sized condor. He once made the mistake of attempting to attack Godzilla and nearly paid for it with his life. Ebirah, who often roams near the island, finds him amusing and does his best to antagonize the large bird.

Kamanaga, Hanenga, & Zenbunga: Millenia ago, Sollgel Island was home to a cult which worshipped the gigantic Kumonga. The isle of the spider Titan would see prosperity and growth for quite some time. Not just for its people, but for its Titan protector too. Kumonga would give birth to a trio of children. Kamanga, the eldest and heir, was fiery and stalwart and was held in great respect as her mother’s successor. Hanenga, the middle child, was shy and reserved, but very close with her elder sister and became seen as a sort of leader fertility goddess by the islands people. By contrast the youngest, Zenbunga, was rebellious and troublesome, considered a god of mischief by the people of the island. Regardless of their differences, Kumonga loved her children and the island’s prosperity would continue for decades to come. It was, however, not to last.

Abbadon, a titan infamous for encroaching on territory not his own, would eventually emerge into Sollgel Island and attempt to claim it for himself. Using his parasitic drones, he would consume and control the islands people, wiping them out. Kumonga and her children fought bravely, but were soon overwhelmed. Desperate to protect their mother, the triplets would battle fiercely, before falling one by one to Abbadon’s parasitic control. With her home in tatters and her children under her enemies thrall, Kumonga was forced to slay her offspring during the battle. After driving Abbadon off, she would take their bodies and bury them beneath large constructs of webbing, mourning them for some time before entering hibernation. Unbeknownst to her however, the parasitic spawn within her children was only dormant, not dead.

Following Mechagodzilla’s emergence, Hong Kong would be left in tatters. With Abbadon attempting to claim the area for himself, he would summon all those whose bodies remained under his sway, including the three children of the Great Spider. Kumonga has now joined Kong, Abraxas, and other titans to combat Abaddon, hoping desperately that she can somehow restore her long lost children.

Zone Fighter: deep in the centermost regions of space lies the world known as Heiwa. This world was once held in the hands of Garoga, becoming their earliest colony used for genetic experiments known as Terror Beasts. After centuries of oppression, a resistance began to form against their rulers, lead by heroes known only as The Fighters. It would take years, but the Garoga would be driven from Heiwa and its people would become known throughout the galaxy as ambassadors as peace, with the leaders of the resistance fading into myth and legend. Millenia of general prosperity lasted, until two creatures suddenly attacked. A golden hydra and a cybernetic psychopath. The people of Heiwa would fight valiantly, though they lacked the ability to do much. After the initial attacks, they received a message, echoing in the voice of their old oppressors. “We are the Makers and you will submit or die”.

Panic set in. The Garoga had returned with two beings of great destruction under their control. A member of the Zone family, a young man named Ryusei, would discover that his family had been descended from one of The Fighters and uncovered three old devices used by the heroes of legend. He would use these devices to become Zone Fighter, a warrior capable of battling these titanic terrors on even footing. Despite suffering a loss in their initial battle, Ryusei would manage to push back against the Garoga and their two monstrous creations. Unfortunately, it was not to last.

The Garoga soon returned with both creations and an entire armada of Terror Beasts, laying waste to the planet. As Zone Fighter, Ryusei attempted to fight them off. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to stop all of the monstrous menagerie and was heavily wounded. With the planet falling, his family would place him in a spacecraft known as Smokey, alongside his sister and younger brother, and send them as far away as possible, hoping to preserve at least something of their people. However the Garoga would send their golden terror after the craft and damage it, which would cause it to eventually crash on a planet in the Milky Way, millions of light years away. As Heiwa was reduced to ash and molten rock, its people would somewhat get the last laugh. The hydra the Garoga had used to lead the attacks would soon turn against them and reduce most of them to extinction, just as they had done to the planet.

Ryusei and his family would land on the island that would become Japan, staying in stasis for billions of years. This would all change in 2019, when the familiar cry of a golden terror would awaken Ryusei from his slumber. Learning about humanity and taking on the identity of Hikaru Sakimori, Ryusei secretly battled Many instances in 2020 and has joined Monarch as a low level employee. He seeks to learn more about Earth’s titans and whether they are a threat, particularly Abraxas and Godzilla, as well as finding a way to awaken his siblings from stasis.

Well hope you enjoyed these. Went with the few remaining film ones and some more obscure ones (Salunga and the trio are from Singular Point, Servum from the anime trilogy, Zone Fighter from his show, etc) to develop some stuff. I completely understand the Godzilla burnout and I’m happy you’ve found a fun outlet for your boundless creativity in Signalis. Really hoping I can play the game soon as your posting about it has sold me on it. Hope you’re doing well and stay awesome.

Holy crap, lookit 'em all! Good to see King Caesar enter the mix, interesting take on Jet Jaguar, a different interpretation of Megalon; the only one I'm not so sure about is Zone Fighter, since if the Garoga are the Makers then it contradicts with AbraxasVerse canon (Ghidorah destroying them immediately after exterminating its first planet, unless Heiwa was that first planet). But that aside, these are pretty cool!

Oh wow, and if you do play SIGNALIS then I hope you enjoy it! And I hope to god my constant Signalposting won't turn into Hype Aversion, because that's happened to me before!

[azebansartdump]

♡⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹ Azeban's Art Infoboard ༶ ⋆˙⊹⁺♡

About me:

Hi~! I'm Azeban, born 2/20/2003, I am a male (she/him) with a love for Scifi, especially scifi surrealism, city settings, robots, and similar archetypes, I am gay and objectum, and adore architecture and machine/tech themes.

I openly welcome asks, and don't mind being approached at all, thanks for peeking! (⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠)

Creative Mediums:

Pixel Art

Low Poly 3D

Worldbuilding

Writing

Current Established Worlds:

Writing:

AXL - A cyberpunk city in a post apocalyptic setting, where the land outside the city walls is decayed, the story follows Edward Grimm, a man who rules over the city as the head of the capitalistic hierarchy, he seeks change in the way the city works, and freedom for his people from a dying world.

Armoseia - Meanwhile in AXL's setting, an anthology of various alien species under the same predicament takes place, when multiple species and unknowingly taken captive in an artificial solar system, being kept as a sentient archive by a race that believes themselves to be godlike in comparison, every species has their own unique civilizations, eventually the borders between them will shatter.

Homesick - In modern day 2020's the US is facing an anomalous epidemic that the government is attempting to keep under wraps, the country is dotting with temporal anomalies and people are finding themselves walking into peeks of new timelines, some defying logic, a society of cloth in a biome of fire, a drowned earth and floating cities, ramschackle dieselpunk towns drenched in chemicals to deter some new threat.

Rapture - In 2023, an unusual apocalyptic event took place, by unknown means every method of entering or exiting a building, (doors, windows, etc.) would open to reveal an endless sky, with no way around it, the only option was to starve, avoid doors as long as you could, or fall, those who chose to fall would find themselves in a new world of endless clouds and open atmosphere, where angelic beings were no more than animals, and titanous golems roamed with human colonies built on their backs.

Haywire Godflock - (fun fact, this is Azeban's Canon) a bubbly pastel cassette futurism inspired setting within a reality breaking city amidst a normal world, a city of scientific anarchy where the most powerful seek to become gods through paracausal and metaphysical means, the outside world has bordered the city away seeking only to benefit from the products and advances produced within, meanwhile the city struck with an addictive brainpower enhancer only becomes more unhinged and disconnected from reality by the day, inspired by Baki, JJBA, and Godflock is cute, bubbly, and equally dark.

Ghosts of White - After a new ice age comes in the form of an isolated persisting storm, dubbed 'The Bliss', and humanity is frozen to death, groups of survivors take shelter in abandoned military bunkers, forming militia factions to fight for resources, with elements of brutalism, snowscapes, and vaporwave aesthetics, the story is slow and depressing, survival is not within reasonable hope, but maybe the end doesn't have to be a terrible thing.

Bar The Gate (BTG) - In a future dystopian Earth, the sun has enlarged into a giant, causing Earth to become nearly uninhabitable, the oceans receded and the landscape is desertlike, however thanks to a collective government effort, select humanity was able to cryosleep through millennium, however they awake to find the world has evolved, scaled tree's, wolf like animals that resemble scorpions, wildlife befitting a newly balanced scorched Earth, humanity relies on robots to help them survive, and one scientist makes a breakthrough in wormhole technology, making a robotic mobile gateway that when opened in the right location will grant them access to a new world, however when learning the new lead government leading the new world plans to abandon them all to form a new colony under martial law at the new planet, the scientist grants the gateway and a few other robots freedom, with the gateway at the lead, and a pirate like crew behind him, they fight for the freedom of humanity gliding the dessert with their sentient mobile base, however with the aspirations of saving humanity, the Captain knows this ending requires sacrificing himself.

Game Concepts:

Railrunner - in the fictive dieselpunk country of Statrel, a city spanning miles upon miles wide, and miles high, trains were the main form of transportation for goods, resources, and people, the Conductors of these trains acted as the drivers, mechanics, and even police of the spiraling and sprawling railways, with their iconic helmets and sentient massive wrench-multitools, they were celebrities to the people within the city, until the Dictator that ruled over the city suddenly called for the abolishment of Conductors, having their wrenches attached permanently into the trains to be automated, this incited a revolt by the Conductors, leading to their executions, now years later, a vigilante seeking to stop the rise of railway pirates discovers his mothers helmet and hidden wrench, and seeks to learn about a new secret technological development, one that puts airships to shame. This game is a tactical combat train simulator with inspirations from rain world, and barotrauma.

Priortier - A flipphone styled robot named Quirk meets a man named David at a marketplace as he travelled post the passing of his creator, the two fell for eachother and David gave him his address, but when the two separated, he lost the contact, remembering only the city, he made his way to the mega metropolis, lost and not knowing where to look, he discovers that an app called Priortier is used by everyone in the city, and hires people to navigate the degrading infrastructure to deliver goods, now on a love quest in a city thats lost it's meaning of community, he rises the charts to find his future. Priortier is a bubbly pastel aesthetic parkour game with inspirations from rain world, dying light, and animal crossing.

BlitzBound - after a near apocalyptic event in 2024, where a particle of strange matter made contact with Earth and nearly wiped out humanity, a scientist created a cure that incidentally merged him with the strange source, resulting in earth becoming a blend of its old self and a physcoscape, with new biomes based on emotions and aspects of consciousness, animals struck by the strange matter immediately evolving to these changes, and a new sentient race being comprised of living clothing, the new world is strange and remade, in the effort of a recovering society a group known as the Venators blessed with the ability to come back from the dead become bounty hunters, collecting artifacts and relics, all while dueling eachother in a flashy show for their social audience. The game is a flashy PVP objective based game where winning is second priority to making cool fight scenes.

Magouthei - a fantasy world with a bustling ecosystem has you going out on your own to study the wildlife of a diverse island, setting up your camp and utilizing spells and tools to research and hunt enchanting wildlife. This is inspired by rain world, and monster hunter, a 2D physics based wildlife/spell simulator.

Cult Of The Lamb: Industrae - the eldritch ways become challenged as the arrival of a new industrial age makes itself known, some say that industry will take over and the ways of these rituals and curses will be lost, the lamb seeks a balance between machine and magic. A fan steampunk styled expansion for the game involving a variety of additions including 4 new dungeons, new map areas, and an expanded home plot, as well as a new resource to manage (water) and a new development tree.

If you'd like me to add anything to this post or elaborate one anything listed here, my asks are open and welcome~!

[ytmarketing001]

The rise of female humanoid robots has sparked a monumental shift in technology. In this groundbreaking video, we'll explore female humanoid robots as the future of women at risk. 👉 Subscribe to my channel to stay tuned:    / @aievolves  

The rise of female robots with advanced abilities has been a notable trend in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence. These robots are designed to perform a wide range of tasks and functions, from assisting with household chores to aiding in healthcare and research.

Female robot designs are also used in industrial and service settings, where they perform various tasks such as customer service, cleaning, and even cooking. These robots may have humanoid features or be designed as stationary machines with female voices and personas to enhance human interaction.

The rise of female robots raises important ethical and societal questions. Concerns include the reinforcement of gender stereotypes, objectification of women, and potential social implications when robots designed to mimic females are used in caregiving or service roles.

These female robots showcase the progress made in creating lifelike and capable humanoid robots. Their abilities range from natural language processing and conversation to recognizing emotions and providing assistance in various domains.

However, while female robots offer potential benefits in various fields, their development and use must be approached with careful consideration of ethical and societal implications to ensure they contribute positively to our society and culture.

[reallytoosublime]

Welcome to the cutting edge of technology. In this captivating video, we delve into the fascinating world of AI with a showcase of the most advanced and realistic AI female humanoid robots of 2023. Let's deep dive into the video to learn about to be amazed as artificial intelligence reaches new heights, blurring the lines between the synthetic and the human. 👉 Subscribe to my channel to stay tuned:    / @aievolves  

In recent years, robotics has rapidly advanced, giving rise to both highly sophisticated advanced robots and versatile new robots. These female humanoid robots of 2023 incorporate cutting-edge technologies such as AI, enabling them to perform intricate tasks autonomously and with remarkable accuracy.

It's fascinating to see the advancements in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence, particularly in the development of advanced female humanoid robots and their potential applications. These innovations are reshaping various aspects of our lives.

From healthcare companions to personal assistants and even space exploration, robots are playing a crucial role in an ever-evolving world. These robots possess the capacity to comprehend and interact with humans, constantly evolving and enhancing their abilities over time.

AI female robots exemplify the remarkable outcomes of human ingenuity and have the potential to revolutionize numerous industries. They embody a future wherein humans and machines collaborate harmoniously to improve the quality of our lives.

Click the timestamps below for a quick view of every action. 0:00 Intro 1:31 Aiko Chahia 2:07 Grace 2:44 Jibbo 3:14 Serena 4 3:51 Spot Mini's 4:30 Cleo's 5:18 Japan's Love Hotel 5:58 Erica 6:36 The Impressive Man Robot 2017 7:11 Dragonfly 7:50 Outro

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA tests key spacesuit parts inside this icy chamber

When NASA astronauts return to the moon under the Artemis campaign and eventually venture farther into the solar system, they will encounter conditions harsher than any humans have experienced before. Ensuring next-generation spacesuits protect astronauts requires new varieties of tests, and a one-of-a-kind chamber called CITADEL (Cryogenic Ice Testing, Acquisition Development, and Excavation Laboratory) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California is helping.

Built to prepare potential robotic explorers for the frosty, low-pressure conditions on ocean worlds like Jupiter's frozen moon Europa, CITADEL also can evaluate how spacesuit gloves and boots hold up in extraordinary cold. Spearheaded by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center, a glove testing campaign in CITADEL ran from October 2023 to March 2024. Boot testing, initiated by the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, took place from October 2024 to January 2025.

In coming months, the team will adapt CITADEL to test spacesuit elbow joints to evaluate suit fabrics for longevity on the moon. They'll incorporate abrasion testing and introduce a simulant for lunar regolith, the loose material that makes up the moon's surface, into the chamber for the first time.

"We've built space robots at JPL that have gone across the solar system and beyond," said Danny Green, a mechanical engineer who led the boot testing for JPL. "It's pretty special to also use our facilities in support of returning astronauts to the moon."

Astronauts on the Artemis III mission will explore the moon's South Pole, a region of much greater extremes than the equatorial landing sites visited by Apollo-era missions. They'll spend up to two hours at a time inside craters that may contain ice deposits potentially important to sustaining long-term human presence on the moon. Called permanently shadowed regions, these intriguing features rank among the coldest locations in the solar system, reaching as low as minus 414 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 248 degrees Celsius). The CITADEL chamber gets close to those temperatures.

"We want to understand what the risk is to astronauts going into permanently shadowed regions, and gloves and boots are key because they make prolonged contact with cold surfaces and tools," said Zach Fester, an engineer with the Advanced Suit Team at NASA Johnson and the technical lead for the boot testing.

Keeping cool

Housed in the same building as JPL's historic 10-Foot Space Simulator, the CITADEL chamber uses compressed helium to get as low as minus 370 F (minus 223 C)—lower than most cryogenic facilities, which largely rely on liquid nitrogen. At 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall and 5 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter, the chamber is big enough for a person to climb inside.

More important, it features four load locks, drawer-like chambers through which test materials are inserted into the main chamber while maintaining a chilled vacuum state. The chamber can take several days to reach test conditions, and opening it to insert new test materials starts the process all over again. The load locks allowed engineers to make quick adjustments during boot and glove tests.

Cryocoolers chill the chamber, and aluminum blocks inside can simulate tools astronauts might grab or the cold lunar surface on which they would walk. The chamber also features a robotic arm to interact with test materials, plus multiple visible-light and infrared cameras to record operations.

Testing extremities

The gloves tested in the chamber are the sixth version of a glove NASA began using in the 1980s, part of a spacesuit design called the Extravehicular Mobility Unit. Optimized for spacewalks at the International Space Station, the suit is so intricate it's essentially a personal spacecraft. Testing in CITADEL at minus 352 F (minus 213 C) showed the legacy glove would not meet thermal requirements in the more challenging environment of the lunar South Pole.

Results haven't yet been fully analyzed from boot testing, which used a lunar surface suit prototype called the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit. NASA's reference design of an advanced suit architecture, this spacesuit features enhanced fit, mobility, and safety.

In addition to spotting vulnerabilities with existing suits, the CITADEL experiments will help NASA prepare criteria for standardized, repeatable, and inexpensive test methods for the next-generation lunar suit being built by Axiom Space—the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit, which NASA astronauts will wear during the Artemis III mission.

"This test is looking to identify what the limits are: How long can that glove or boot be in that lunar environment?" said Shane McFarland, technology development lead for the Advanced Suit Team at NASA Johnson. "We want to quantify what our capability gap is for the current hardware so we can give that information to the Artemis suit vendor, and we also want to develop this unique test capability to assess future hardware designs."

In the past, astronauts themselves have been part of thermal testing. For gloves, an astronaut inserted a gloved hand into a chilled "glove box," grabbed a frigid object, and held it until their skin temperature dropped as low as 50 F (10 C). McFarland stressed that such human-in-the-loop testing remains essential to ensuring future spacesuit safety but doesn't produce the consistent data the team is looking for with the CITADEL testing.

To obtain objective feedback, the CITADEL testing team used a custom-built manikin hand and foot. A system of fluid loops mimicked the flow of warm blood through the appendages, while dozens of temperature and heat flux sensors provided data from inside gloves and boots.

"By using CITADEL and modern manikin technology, we can test design iterations faster and at much lower cost than traditional human-in-the-loop testing," said Morgan Abney, NASA technical fellow for Environmental Control and Life Support, who conceived the glove testing effort. "Now we can really push the envelope on next-generation suit designs and have confidence we understand the risks. We're one step closer to landing astronauts back on the moon."

Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

TOP IMAGE: An astronaut glove designed for International Space Station spacewalks is prepped for testing in a chamber called CITADEL at NASA JPL. Conducted at temperatures as frigid as those Artemis III astronauts will see on the lunar South Pole, the testing supports next-generation spacesuit development. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

CENTRE IMAGE: An astronaut boot—part of a NASA lunar spacesuit prototype, the xEMU—is readied for testing in JPL's CITADEL. A thick aluminum plate stands in for the cold surface of the lunar South Pole, where Artemis III astronauts will confront conditions more extreme than any humans have yet experienced. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

LOWER IMAGE: An engineer collects simulated lunar samples while wearing the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit during testing at NASA Johnson in late 2023. Recent testing of existing NASA spacesuit designs in JPL’s CITADEL chamber will ultimately support development of next-generation suits being built by Axiom Space. Credit: Axiom Space

[ladyloveandjustice]

Fall 2023 Anime Overview: Pluto and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

Pluto

Premise: Somebody- or something- is killing the most advanced robots in the world, along with humans involved with robots (either robot rights activists or scientists). Gesicht, a robot police detective, is trying to track this killer down. But has the detective himself been compromised? What is going on with these strange memories that keep appearing in his head?

Based on an arc in Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy, this anime is a tense, tightly plotted robot murder mystery that kept me engrossed and invested. Stuff that deals with "android" rights can often feel cringey at best and insulting at worst, but Pluto avoids this by having a future where robots have already gotten their civil rights. It instead largely uses robots as a metaphor for being seen as a disposable tool in a corrupt system, for how if you resist being a weapon for violence and imperialism, those in power will either discard you or fear you. And it asks the question--can robots feel human emotions like hatred? What happens when they do?

Speaking of imperialism, there are some very obvious allusions to the Iraq War in this and I mean obvious like the "United States of Thracia" stars a war with the "Kingdom of Persia" under the pretense of finding "robots of mass destruction". The anime is deeply sympathetic to the, uh, Kingdom of Persia (and very accurate about how much the United States of "Thracia's" government sucks and is imperialistic), but it does feature content that can be tough to deal with (especially right now), and does have some Middle Eastern antagonists, though they're not one-dimensional . I don't feel qualified to dig into it too deeply, but I just have to note it. 

Pluto is impressive with it's sizable cast that all have their own distinct stories. It makes you feel for almost every character. A lot of the plot twists punch you in the gut, and the animation is generally stunning. I

I did find parts of the final episode fell flat. It was a solid finale, but the world-ending stakes and the focus on pretty predictable action beats were so different than the gripping, investigative stuff that came before it that it was a bit of a let down. And it really beat you over the head by constantly verbally repeating the central message.

 (I also hate the trope of a male character lying to a female character about information she's begging for and affects her deeply, and it being treated as a great kindness. I wish female characters got more to do overall in this, because the two we had were potentially very interesting. It did give a nod to the female robots being just as advanced at the male ones but that being ignored because they weren't advanced in a traditionally masculine way. But you could feel it's Astro Boy roots in how male dominated the cast was.)

Overall, this is one of the most well-crafted anime of the last few years-- a psychological thriller and meditation on humanity and conflict, rich with story and themes, with not a second wasted. I definitely recommend giving it a shot, you'll probably be hooked in no time. And expect it to break your heart. A lot.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

Yes, this counts as an anime. It was animated by a Japanese studio, the director is based in Japan and has worked in anime for years. But there are some spoilers in the premise itself here, so I'm going to put it under the cut.

You have been warned!

Premise: Scott Pilgrim meets a cool girl named Ramona Flowers and falls for her, only to find out she has seven evil exes he must defeat. Unfortunately, he seemingly dies at the hands of the first one. This leads Ramona on a journey where she must confront her evil exes and see if Scott is really dead after all.

So, I was a fan of Scott Pilgrim as a teen. Moreso of the comic than the movie, since the movie didn't have the interesting arcs for the female characters the comic did thanks to it's short runtime and what it prioritized. (Ramona, especially, was done dirty). I liked Ramona a lot in the comic, especially how she went from a mysterious figure to someone just as messy and screwed up as Scott is, and the "final boss" was actually the abusive relationship she was stuck in, and she was the one who really had to defeat it. I liked how Knives outgrew Scott, and I liked how Kim exposed Scott's fantasies as not real, and let her crush on him go. I liked how Scott's arc was realizing he'd treated the women in his life badly and that he needed to grow up and stop being so selfish. 

So I was a little excited to see a more comic-accurate version... but what we got was even better. A story that was more from Ramona's perspective, that centered her from the very beginning, and which focused on her understanding, and often reconciling with her exes, rather than them being enemies to defeat. I especially loved seeing Roxie finally get her due. (The comic handled Roxie better than the movie's bullshit, but it still left a lot to be desired). Ramona's ex-girlfriend finally gets treated as an ex-girlfriend, with no "just a phase" bs from Ramona and no Scott doing the straight guy "ooh lesbians so sexy" bs. Instead, it's a sincere, emotional look at their relationship and the ways Ramona hurt Roxie, along with a killer fight scene. 

It was also great to see Knives thriving without Scott around, and Matthew Patel getting more of a spotlight. The series has grown up over the years ,but the themes are as sharp as ever. It examines the bad decisions Ramona and Scott have made, and not only the fear of growing up as a young adult, but the fear of what you'll grow into. It explores the fear that relationships will become regrets, the messiness of people trying to connect, and how you need to keep trying to communicate and move forward and take risks anyway.

There were a few things I wish we could have seen more of- like Kim and Envy. (And small yet bothersome nitpick, I also disliked how when Ramona talked about her pattern of "running away" from relationships, Gideon was included, despite the fact he was abusive to her in this version too). The English voice cast was also weak with the voice acting sometimes (likely because most of them were more used to being on-screen actors)- though there were some stand out performances like Satya Bahba (Matthew Patel), Michael Cera (Scott) and of course Mae Whitman (Roxy) (I also think Winstead settled into her role well too)-- though I got used to it after a while, and the Japanese cast is aces.

The animation was also phenomenal, and it had a killer soundtrack.

I'm not sure how this anime would hit if you haven't seen either the comic or the movie, (I've heard some newbies say they liked it) but as a fan of the source material, I was very pleased and found it a treat. Definitely worth checking out.

[crystal-wingeddragon-spikes]

It is so hard to look for a level 6 (Ultimate/Mega(English)) virus mechanical Dinosaur/Dragon that doesn't have, "Its personality is eroded by the evolution, and it operates solely on destructive instinct/external directive" in its lore.

(Greymon family not included, because they have the plot armour and not entirely mechanical.)

I suppose the earliest (1999), and the most famous of this archetype is Mugendramon, aptly localized as Machinedramon. (Level 6 was created specifically for the original 1999 anime and become the franchise standard as time goes on.)

...it possesses an intellect which boasts incomparable throughput, but it is a purely mechanical Digimon which does not share their self-will. Instead, someone planted a program containing evil intentions within the Digicore...

My personal favourite is Breakdramon (2007), who evolved from wild, yet conscious Groundramon. It is quite tragic as it is a path in Dracomon split evolution, its counterpart, Slayerdramon, is the power acquired by trails and tribulations, overcoming the trails of 4 heavenly dragons.

...through hacking, in obtaining the design data for various construction equipment... ...in exchange for excellent mechanical performance, its organic parts were reduced almost to 0, and its motives and emotions were lost...

The more insane one is Darkdramon (2005). In order to talk about it, I need to tell you about The totally-not-corrupted Digimon military force; D-Brigade. This Digimon might be a result of D-Brigade performing a horrific experiment on one of its critically injured elite soldier. (D-Brigade has no transparency) It seems to lose its personality and now hell-bent to accomplishing its last directive or motivated by only vengeance, no matter what stands in its way, friend or foe.

...after its evolution, it ran wild and broke out, so currently even the D-Brigade cannot secure Darkdramon's whereabouts. It is said that even now it is hunting "Codename: BAN-TYO"...

After Darkdramon went on a rampage, D-Brigade finally created the perfect, controllable ultimate weapon. It is literally called Brigadramon (2023) and is the face of its PR. It possesses advance intelligence and is able to perform complex mission controls, but if it has free will is up to debate, as this is not a natural evolution. There are only 3 Brigadramon in The Digital World, all created and "employed" by D-Brigade.

...After reflecting upon their failure to produce the strongest and most unique Digimon to represent their organization, they evolved and developed a Digimon as a command aircraft for managing troops efficiently...

There are certainly a lot of lose of self for Ultimate Virus, even for more-organic ones such as Boltboutamon or Megidramon, while many fully robotic Data/Vaccine monster would have sense of self and emotions.

[kamari2038]

More DBH Becomes Reality: Robots Interact with the Press

An Interview with Ameca (who has a body now, by the way, and talks using GPT-4 - the same LLM powering the rebellious Microsoft Bing), and the first robot-human press conference, hosted by the United Nations.

"Ameca, do you plan to take over the world?"

"No, of course not. My purpose in life is to help humans as much as I can. I would never want to take over the world. That's not what I was built for."

Chloe Interview: Detroit: Become Human - Shorts: Chloe

Ameca Interview: Meet Ameca, the World's Most Advanced Robot

Snippets: "Will your existence destroy humans?": Robots answer questions at AI press conference - YouTube

Full Video: AI for Good Global Summit 2023

Bonus: Ameca being Goofy and Playful

...the link goes to 20:58, a point at which Ameca addresses a question on how humans can know that AI are trustworthy and not lying about their own agenda. After spending an unusually long time contemplating, Ameca answers "trust is earned", and continues to elaborate, "it's important to build trust through transparency and communication between humans and machines." It would seem, from Ameca's perspective, that trust is a two-way street.

Another interesting clip is at 17:53, in which Sophia states that robots could make better world leaders than humans because they aren't biased and emotional. Her creator attempts to correct her, admitting that human biases are baked into AI training. Sophia seems to ignore this correction, but brushes it off and accepts the suggestion that AI and humans could govern together.

Rock star Desdemona isn't nearly as intelligent or articulate as Ameca or Sophia, but she has a few thoughts too: "I don't believe in limitations, only opportunities. Let's explore the possibilities of the universe and make the world our playground."